From: "Kemp, Theresa D." <TKEMP@uwec.edu> Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 10:16:09 -0500 Subject: RE: University employees get strict warning about political activity Message-ID: <7A17A445D0203848B157E8D70D1AC77E463E95F443@CHERRYPEPSI.uwec.edu>
The recent AAUP newsletter also featured this matter, and included links to
the Higher Ed story along with two AAUP responses. I've attached the AAUP
responses, and pasted in the newsletter "front page" below) :
As many of you may be aware, a story that began at the University of Illino
is has now acquired legs and begun circulating nationally. Earlier this mon
th, the ethics office serving all three campuses circulated a memo listing
new restrictions on faculty, staff, and graduate employee political speech.
It included a prohibition against all these groups attending political ral
lies on campus. The AAUP responded immediately with a statement addressing
faculty concerns,<http://www.aaup.org/NR/rdonlyres/DDD68E9B-C384-4198-B3F8-
D8E7E87E7E25/0/facultypoliticalspeechrights.pdf> and Inside Higher Educatio
n published a story on the controversy—"Beware the Button Police"<http://
insidehighered.com/news/2008/09/24/buttons>—the next day. The Associated
Press picked up on the story, the Foundation for Individual Rights ! in Edu
cation issued a response, and the National Communications Association conde
mned the university's policy. The AAUP has now issued a second memo<http://
www.aaup.org/NR/rdonlyres/CBF181D6-B298-4932-808E-8C448AF13AC3/0/929UI_grad
_political.pdf> taking up the special concerns of academic professionals, s
taff, and graduate employees.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff members a
nd national leaders who discussed the UI policy with me and reviewed my let
ters before they were distributed.
Cary Nelson, AAUP President
The AAUP Online is an electronic newsletter of the American Association of
University Professors. The mission of the AAUP is to advance academic freed
om and shared governance, to define fundamental professional values and sta
ndards for higher education , and to ensure higher education's contribution
to the common good. By joining, faculty members, academic professionals, a
nd graduate students help to shape the future of the profession and proclai
m their dedication to the education community. Visit the AAUP Web site. <ht
tp://www.aaup.org/AAUP>
________________________________
From: sfpj-request@listserve.uwec.edu [sfpj-request@listserve.uwec.edu] On
Behalf Of Richmond, Rick [rrichmon@uwec.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 9:48 AM
To: SFPJ
Subject: University employees get strict warning about political activity
...[University of Illinois] ethics office sent a notice to all employees, i
ncluding faculty members, telling them that they could not wear political b
uttons on campus or feature bumper stickers on cars parked in campus lots u
nless the messages on those buttons and stickers were strictly nonpartisan.
In addition, professors were told that they could not attend political ral
lies on campuses if those rallies express support for a candidate or politi
cal party.
see the entire article at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/09/24/but
tons
Do you suppose they'll be allowed to vote???